Oncogenic AKTivation of translation as a therapeutic target.

The AKT signalling pathway is a major regulator of protein synthesis that impinges on multiple cellular processes frequently altered in cancer, such as proliferation, cell growth, survival, and angiogenesis. AKT controls protein synthesis by regulating the multistep process of mRNA translation at every stage from ribosome biogenesis to translation initiation and elongation. Recent studies have highlighted the ability of oncogenic AKT to drive cellular transformation by altering gene expression at the translational level. Oncogenic AKT signalling leads to both global changes in protein synthesis as well as specific changes in the translation of select mRNAs. New and developing technologies are significantly advancing our ability to identify and functionally group these translationally controlled mRNAs into gene networks based on their modes of regulation. How oncogenic AKT activates ribosome biogenesis, translation initiation, and translational elongation to regulate these translational networks is an ongoing area of research. Currently, the majority of therapeutics targeting translational control are focused on blocking translation initiation through inhibition of eIF4E hyperactivity. However, it will be important to determine whether combined inhibition of ribosome biogenesis, translation initiation, and translation elongation can demonstrate improved therapeutic efficacy in tumours driven by oncogenic AKT.

Targeting HER proteins in cancer therapy and the role of the non-target HER3.

Members of the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family have been of considerable interest in the cancer arena due to their potential to induce tumorigenesis when their signalling functions are deregulated. The constitutive activation of these proteins is seen in a number of different common cancer subtypes, and in particular EGFR and HER2 have become highly pursued targets for anti-cancer drug development. Clinical studies in a number of different cancers known to be driven by EGFR or HER2 show mixed results, and further mechanistic understanding of drug sensitivity and resistance is needed to realise the full potential of this treatment modality. Signalling in trans is a key feature of HER family signalling, and the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, so critically important in tumorigenesis, is driven predominantly through phosphorylation in trans of the kinase inactive member HER3. An increasing body of evidence shows that HER3 plays a critical role in EGFR- and HER2-driven tumours. In particular, HER3 lies upstream of a critically important tumorigenic signalling pathway with extensive ability for feedback and cross-talk signalling, and targeting approaches that fail to account for this important trans-target of EGFR and HER2 can be undermined by its resiliency and resourcefulness. Since HER3 is kinase inactive, it is not a direct target of kinase inhibitors and not presently an easily drugable target. This review presents the current evidence highlighting the role of HER3 in tumorigenesis and its role in mediating resistance to inhibitors of EGFR and HER2.

Effect of 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (ondansetron) on functioning human pancreatic carcinoid cells.

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a mitogen for selected cell types. We have reported that 5-HT is an autocrine growth factor for functioning human pancreatic carcinoid (BON) cells; autocrine growth effect is transmitted by 5-HT1A but not 5-HT1C/2 receptors, activation of which decreases cyclic AMP production through a pertussis toxin-sensitive inhibitory GTP-binding protein. In this study, the effect of 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ondansetron, on BON was examined. Ondansetron did not affect growth of BON cells and also affected neither stimulation of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis or inhibition of cyclic AMP production evoked by 5-HT in BON cells. Ondansetron, however, inhibited mobilization of intracellular calcium evoked by 5-HT. Present findings suggest that BON cells possess 5-HT3 receptors, but their roles in pancreatic carcinoid cells are still unknown.

Interaction of cold and starvation in the regulation of plasma corticosterone levels in the male rat.

Plasma corticosterone levels were determined in serial samples obtained from 3 groups of rats: 1) starved, 2) cold-treated (4 degrees C), and 3) starved and cold treated (4 degrees C). Starvation resulted in an increase of plasma corticosterone on the 3rd day and the increase henceafter was linear with the number of days of treatment up to day 13 whereas upon cold exposure, the plasma corticosterone levels first increased on day 1 up to day 3, and then declined on day 9. Cold and starvation in combination led to a greater elevation of plasma corticosterone level than cold or starvation alone. It is concluded that the increase of plasma corticosterone during starvation or cold may be related to altered metabolism under such circumstances, and that the effect of cold and starvation are synergistic and may be mediated by different neural mechanisms.